Listen to the Episode
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83
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Summary

On September 11th, while patriotic Americans waved flags and listened to speeches, a few thousand miles south, Chileans massed in the streets and clashed with police on the anniversary of the 1973 military coup. Our 29th episode begins a two-episode series on anarchism in Chile: From popular power and militant resistance to the Pinochet dictatorship to today's clashes between encapuchados and Carabineros across burning barricades, we explore the history and background context necessary to understand the distinctive and militant anarchist struggles of contemporary Chile. From the recent anarchist book and propaganda fair in Santiago, several anarchists speak with us about the importance of radical neighborhoods, the evolution of public anarchist organizing, and political imprisonment in Chile. Attendees of the marches and actions during the recent Climate Convergence in New York City report on their experiences and reflect on how anarchists connect to broader environmental movements. Listeners weigh in on historical dates, pronunciation mistakes, and mind-controlled drones, alongside news, announcements, and prisoner birthdays.

Notes and Links

Contents:
The Hot Wire [1:35]
People’s Climate March [9:49]
Listener Feedback [22:16]
Anarchist Struggles in Chile: History and Context [29:45]
Anarchism in Villa Francia: Interview with Felipe [1:00:16]
The Anarchist Book and Propaganda Fair in Santiago: Interview with Kiwi and Nico [1:05:38]
Political Imprisonment in Chile: Interview with Felipe [1:13:31]
Next Week’s News [1:19:27]

Our discussion of the history and background context of anarchism in Chile draws heavily on the 2009 article “Chile: From Popular Power to Social War,” which appeared in Rolling Thunder #8, along with contemporary updates.

One of the best sources about the history and contemporary reality of anarchist struggle in Chile can be found in the documentary The Chicago Conspiracy by our friends at Subversive Action Films. Tune in next episode for a full review of the film on the Chopping Block.

Other historical references: Popular Power in Allende-era Chile before the military coup; 1920s Argentine insurrectionist Severino di Giovanni; the foco theory of guerrilla warfare; if there are others we mentioned about which you want sources to learn more, just drop us a line!

PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO READ this newly updated Cell Phone Guide for US Protestors from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It gives extremely useful suggestions about pre-protest preparations, encryption, court cases and legal precedents, what to do if arrested, and so forth. The more you know, the less they know!

This news broke too late to make it into this episode, but our fellow CrimethInc. Ex-Workers are finishing up a hugely ambitious new multimedia outreach project, To Change Everything, intended to introduce anarchist ideas to a broad audience. The centerpiece of the project is a 48-page pamphlet, of which our fellow Ex-Workers plan to print 100,000 copies to distribute for free. They are currently raising the funds for this via a Kickstarter campaign; learn more here, and help out if you can!

About CrimethInc.

CrimethInc. is a rebel alliance—a decentralized network pledged to anonymous collective action—a breakout from the prisons of our age. We strive to reinvent our lives and our world according to the principles of self-determination and mutual aid.

We believe that you should be free to dispose of your limitless potential on your own terms: that no government, market, or ideology should be able to dictate what your life can be. If you agree, let’s do something about it.